A Normal Teen
by Clavyus
Summary: A little change on how the Yule Ball ends.


_A quick one-shot with a broody Harry and a couple of girls. As usual, I own nothing related to Harry Potter._

He sighs. A small, embarrassed, girlish sigh, which, thankfully, nobody hears In truth, she looks like a dream. Dressed in a silvery gown with blue accents, a small smile planted on her face as she twirls around with her date. Even during the opening dance, he's followed them with the corner of his eyes. Her thick black hair arranged in an elaborate set of braids, it moves as she does, tight and elegant.

They make a beautiful couple, which breaks his heart a little, but in a bittersweet way. They are both good people, and they deserve their moment. He feels a little kinship with them, and, without any right or permission, decides to be a little happy for them.

After Ron left in a huff, and Hermione in tears. After his date and her sister found willing dance partners among the Beuxbattons and Durmstrangs, Harry sits by himself, brooding as is his way, glad for the music and the respite. It surprises him, when they come next to him, sweaty and happy, and after they exchange a deep kiss, she turns to him. Bright eyes and a small smile.

"Will you dance with me, Harry?"

Harry can't really trust his ears. "W-w-what?"

She giggles. A silvery little sound that makes him smile, despite himself. "Dance, Harry. You know? Get out there, shake our bums to the music. Grab each other a bit..."

Harry can't believe his ears. He looks at Cedric, who is smiling patiently. "Better do what she says, Potter."

Harry starts to protest. "But I don't know..." Cho ignores him, grabs his hand and pulls him towards the dance floor. There are quite a few people still dancing, and nobody seems to pay attention to them. At first it's a lively little tune, and Cho swings to the music, while Harry, self-conscious, confused and a little entranced, tries bravely to keep up.

Then the tune turns to something slow, and Harry tries to walk away. Cho grabs him by an arm and pulls him back. "Oh, no. We're not done yet."

Harry takes one of her hands in his, places one hand on her side and tries bravely to lead, keeping a chaste distance, just as he was recently taught. Cho is not having it. She pushes against him, pressing her toned, lithe body against him. With heels, she's half an inch taller than him. With one hand, she caresses his neck, sending shivers right down to his toes. With the other, she holds him close, as they pretend to sway to the music.

She whispers in his ear. "You can grab my ass if you want, Harry."

He's not about to let that pass. He slides his hand down to the firm roundness below her back. She shivers in his arm, and he acquires a noticeable hardness under his robes. His one concern is that he expects to be punched by Cedric at any moment.

Her face is pressed against his, her breasts pressed against his chest. One of his hands at her waist, the other caressing her buttock. It might very well be worth the punch.

The erection wouldn't go unnoticed, under the circumstances. "Thanks for the compliment, Harry." She whispers, sweetly while grinding herself against him. Harry blushes deeply and she giggles.

Harry gathers all his courage and manages to squeeze a few words out of his mouth. "Eh... Y-You look stunning tonight." Harry knows what is happening is not, by any means, normal. But one thing Harry's insane life taught him is to roll with the punches. Besides, crazy stuff is usually much less... interesting.

She whispers in his ear. "You look very nice yourself."

The music stops and Cho pushes herself back a bit, giving him the briefest kiss on the lips. It's his first kiss ever, and it comes from the girl he's been obsessing about for more than a year. His lips tingle and he feels lightheaded. "Thank you, Harry."

"Thank you."

They walk back to where Cedric is standing, or better, reclining against the wall. Harry looks at him, expecting to see anger, disgust... something. Instead, he has the same small smile directed both at him and Cho, and a glint in his eyes that Harry is at a loss to understand. Nothing in his life has prepared him to recognize arousal when he sees it. Cho, however, knows exactly what that look in Cedric's face means and grabs his face, snogging him deeply.

They stand for a few minutes, Cedric and Cho lost in one another and Harry, confused, aroused and, why not, quite envious. The music starts again and Harry startles, turning around to leave. Before he can step away, Cedric grabs his arm and whispers in his ear. "Stick around. She wants to dance with you again."

Harry nods mutely and the couple steps back to the dance floor. On the way, Cho looks back and blows him a kiss.

Harry stares at Cedric and Cho, openly now, instead of little hidden glances as before. Cedric is a head taller than Cho, broad shouldered and sure of foot. As strong as Cho is graceful. They are a joy to watch. Instead of jealousy, Harry finds himself enjoying the view, his body and lips still tingling with Cho's body and kiss and slightly aroused by what he sees.

There's few couples left, mostly seventh years. A pretty Slytherin with long blonde hair comes by and asks for a dance, and Harry gladly accepts, momentarily enjoying the new girl's attention, while keeping and eye on Cedric and Cho. After a song or two, Cho is back in his arms, while Cedric twirls away with his Slytherin, and Harry finds himself again smiling at the dark bright eyes.

A slow song allows him to press Cho's body against him, and all the feeling the girl evokes comes together in a searing kiss. The strangeness of the night left snarling at the back of his mind, while he sees Cedric snogging the pretty blonde, and Harry abandons himself to the dreamlike pleasure of snogging the beautiful Ravenclaw.

The last dance is announced, and Cedric comes back to claim his date, while the Slytherin girl falls into his arms again. Her eyes are gray, and she is wearing a bright diamond choker, highlighting her graceful slender neck. She's very pretty, in a diaphanous pink dress, and Harry feels he would be happy to have such a girl in his arms, if it wasn't for the lingering taste of Cho in his mouth.

The last song ends and they clap, thanking the band. Harry looks around, and most of the people he knows have long left. He sees Cedric and Cho walking out, taking a piece of him with them. Harry looks at the pretty blonde and finds her looking back at him and smiling. "Can I escort you to the dungeons?"

Her smile broadens. "Sure. I'd be grateful for the company."

They hold hands as they walk out. "I'm Harry, by the way."

The girl giggles. A sweet little sound. "I know who you are, Potter. Everybody does."

He waits to hear her name, but it is not forthcoming. Harry sighs and asks. "And what's your name?"

She giggles again. "I've been in several of your classes all these years."

Harry is flabbergasted. She does look a little familiar, but he can't positively recall ever seeing her in class. "I can't believe I don't remember."

She nods, amused. "Daphne Greengrass. Tonight, you may call me Daphne."

"Oh." The name is familiar. When Seamus and Dean make lists of the prettiest girls in their year, her name is always first. Harry had never connected name and face though. He looks at her, and despite his personal preference for his best friend, he can't help but agree a little with Seamus and Dean. She is very, very pretty. Harry tries to sound contrite. "I'm sorry."

"No apology needed." She manages to sound both tart and sweet. "I like to keep a low profile."

They walk in silence for a bit, still hand in hand. Her hand feels small, delicate and soft inside his. "Did you enjoy the ball?"

"So far, yes, definitely. You?"

"It's been... strange."

A slightly crooked smile graces her lips, turning a pretty girl into a rather beautiful one. Harry blinks in surprise. "You owe Gryffindor Patil an apology."

Harry's shoulders slump a bit in agreement. "I know."

"Make a show of it tomorrow at breakfast and you'll be fine. That girl likes you." They walk a little further. "You also owe Chang a big thanks." The crooked smile returns. "I suggest flowers."

"Thank you for the advice, Daphne." Harry's tone is sincere and her name rolls off his mouth like a caress.

"You're welcome."

They arrive at the dungeons' hidden door and stop, looking at each other. "Thank you for the escort."

"You're more than welcome."

She approaches him and kisses his lips, sweetly. She presses herself against him. Harry is inexperienced, but he is a fast learner. He wraps his arms around her thin waist and deepens the kiss, tasting strawberries and punch in her mouth. It's very different from Cho, less aggressive and intense. It's slow and languid. Smoldering instead of a bright flame. It doesn't quite make him tingle, but it does feel good. Very good. She moans inside his mouth. After a couple of minutes, they reluctantly separate.

She first catches her breath, and then she whispers. "You're a good kisser, Harry."

Harry blinks and blushes. He's never been very good with praise, a gift from his dear relatives. Getting a good review from the second girl he's ever kissed? Priceless. "You're a great kisser too. Not that I have a lot to compare with." A slightly whiny note of self-pity shows in his tone.

Daphne pushes him roughly. "Don't be a fool!" She laughs quietly. "Cho was your first? Tonight?"

He nods. She caresses him, sliding her light pink nails down his chest. Now he feels a tingle. "A fast learner too."

"Thanks."

She turns to the wall and whispers the password. The door opens and she turns back to him. "Thank you, Harry. You just added a perfect end to the night."

"You're welcome."

"You can keep ignoring me in the future, all right?"

Harry frowns. "What if I don't want to?"

She turns around and the door starts to close. Before she is cut off he hears laughter and her answer. "Chocolate covered cherries, then. My favorite."

It's a long, lonely walk back to the tower. He feels like he's in a dream, his feet barely touching the ground, his heart beating fast with the taste of two pretty girls in his mouth. His thoughts spin around, trying to make sense of it all.

Suddenly, he stops, speared by a new insight. In all his adventures, in his miserable home life, he's always desired, yearned, really, for normal. Dark lords, dragons, dementors, basilisks... that's not normal. Kissing two pretty girls in ball gowns, that's totally normal, isn't it? That's what being fourteen and a half is all about. The strangeness of the night evaporates, and he is left with a light heart, a new spring in his step and a couple of new memories to power up his patronus.

Before he falls asleep, he briefly wonders what kissing Hermione would feel like. He decides to find out, as soon as possible. Screw Ron.


End file.
